17 November, 2014

Intimacy With God Kills Loneliness

The lack of intimacy is one of the most painful elements of life. Intimacy is a universal human need; without it we will feel lonely. Loneliness is not the same thing as being alone. There are some people who find great pleasure in solitude yet others who will feel lonely in a crowded room. Loneliness is strong sense of solitude and emptiness and an unbearable feeling of being separate from other people. Being married offers no protection from the dangers of loneliness. In one recent study, 62.5% of people who reported being lonely were married and living with their partner. Modern life is making people feel increasingly lonely, according to the Mental Health Foundation. Lonely people are more prone to developing high blood pressure. Feeling lonely can increase the risk of Alzheimer's in later life.

Since loneliness is one of the most painful of all human experiences, we are driven, consciously or unconsciously, to escape its pain. To do that many people pursue some type of consolation, emotional high, companionship, or warmth. Drinking is a behavior which can provide a certain warmth to the body. But It consoles temporarily. Drugs can also produce a high which will mask, for a period of time , the underlying sadness complex. Other behaviors, which are attempts to rise above the pain of loneliness, include chronic masturbation, pornography, compulsive television watching, eating, shopping, exercising, smoking and playing games.

According to Robert Weis, one of the founding researchers on loneliness, all of us need a special person in our lives, someone who gives us a sense of security or reassurance that we can face the world once again. How often do you believe that if you just found that right person, entered that right relationship, your loneliness would be abated and you will live happily ever after? You don't need ten thousand people, you just need that One special person. You just need Jesus! The lonely feeling in the core your soul can only be filled with the love and grace from Jesus Christ. Only His love alone can fill the emptiness of your heart.

 
Christian life is not about ministry, standards, or outward appearances, but about allowing the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself through us as we experience His grace and mercy anew in our lives each and every day. It is about having intimacy with God. It is about loving Jesus and putting Him first in our lives.

Sometimes God calls us to be separate so He can create something new in us. Often in our solitude and loneliness, we find more satisfaction and a deeper intimacy with Him. The narrow path you are walking right now provides the experiences to enable you to become a new person. So, hang in there, because although growing up is painful — but once you have experienced intimacy with God and have been spiritually resurrected, your spiritual eyes will be opened and you will see His beauty. Your brand new life will be bigger, better, happier, richer, and more satisfying than it has ever been before.



God is not opposed to giving us great pleasure in life. He desires to lavish His riches, grace, mercy, and blessings upon us. He wants us to be so fulfilled in this life, that the cup of our hearts remain in a constant state of overflow. We enter this fulfillment when we have learned the beauty of delighting in God. To delight is to find great pleasure in something. This is the meaning of delighting in the Lord. It is finding such great pleasure in intimacy with Him, that we are totally consumed and utterly satisfied by His love.

By having intimacy with God, what most people call Utopia (Buddhist call Nirvana) can become the most real and living thing in a person’s life.
What I mean with "Utopia" in this context is when:
• You are in a state of bliss and joy.
• You are in the flow and everything is working really well in your life.
• You are fulfilled, happy and content within yourself.
• You are a sea of calmness and peace.
• You feel healthy, energized and full of life.
• Your heart is overflowing with love, gratitude and appreciation.
• You have great relationships with everyone in your life.
• You feel that you have found your calling and you love what you are doing.
• You are not struggling to make something happen (You have found rest in God).

What people want most in life are things like health, wealth, success, popularity, and pleasures. But the true blessings of God are all matters of the soul 
emotional well-being, loving relationships, godly character, and, most of all, God Himself. It's the blessing of God's presence that brings eternal joy, peace and meaning!